Thursday, October 31, 2013

The 12th production P-8A Poseidon has been delivered to the U.S. Navy by Boeing, enhancing the long-range maritime patrol capabilities of the service.

The P-8A departed Boeing Field in Seattle for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL, where it joined the other Poseidon aircraft being used to train Navy crews. The aircraft is the sixth from the second low-rate initial production contract lot awarded in November 2011.

“This is our second-to-last P-8A delivery of 2013 and the program is meeting all cost and schedule milestones,” said Rick Heerdt, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. “As we’ve focused on ramping up production and delivering planes, the Navy is preparing for the first P-8A fleet deployment in the coming months.”

Boeing is on contract to build and support 37 P-8A aircraft as part of four LRIP contracts awarded in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, which are based on the Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 platform. The versatile multi-mission aircraft provides anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and will replace the Navy P-3 fleet.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo (AFNS) -- He flips the switch on his radio, dialing into a local emergency channel and listens in. Focused, he concentrates, listening for the slight crackle of radio traffic.

With just dead air floating through the invisible radio waves, he leans into the microphone, pressing down on the mic's element, and talks to the world: "KØDRJ, this is KCØYCQ -- checking in".

The simple act of broadcasting his voice into the unknown instantly transforms Tech. Sgt. David Hodge from NCO in charge of standardization and evaluation for the 6th Space Operations Squadron, to a volunteer amateur radio operator with the responsibility of assisting in the coordination of resources and materials for first responders during disasters.

The eight-year Air Force reservist, who also operates Defense Meteorological Satellite Program weather satellites as a crew member, donates portions of his personal life for service to the community from what he said began as a mere hobby.

"One of the reasons why I do this is because I believe I have a skill set that not everyone has, yet can be used to help the community" Hodge said. "I'm a big geek with computers and software and in learning new things and how they work. I got interested in amateur communication and thought to myself, 'Hey, this is really cool.' I get on a radio in my house, and I can connect to a node on Cheyenne Mountain and, through the internet, talk to people in Australia and around the world. Then I started learning that anytime there is an emergency going on in the world, people lose all forms of communication -- except amateur radio."

In most emergency situations, civilian communication channels, to include cell phones, landlines and internet access, either go down or become inundated with emergency response coordination. With civilian lines either down or jammed up, amateur radio operators become the final conduits available for local and county law enforcement, fire departments, the Red Cross, and other organizations to maintain the crucial link of communication to ensure any response can take place.

His introduction to amateur radios started soon after leaving active duty in 2005. As well as becoming a space vehicle operator in the Reserve's 310th Space Wing, Hodge was also hired on with the Boeing Company. That's where he befriended one of his co-workers, who introduced him to the world of amateur radio.

From Hobbies to Helping

His introduction blossomed quickly, leading to the purchase of his first amateur radio base and receiving his Federal Communications Commission license in 2006. Over time, Hodge began attending local radio club meetings. By 2007, Hodge had also become a member of the Pikes Peak Amateur Radio Emergency Services organization, which, according to the group's website, "provides public safety and public service communication support using HAM radios when conventional communication systems are damaged, destroyed, overloaded or otherwise unavailable."

Ongoing meetings and involvement in the radio community also brought Hodge to be trained by the National Weather Service as part of its "Skywarn" program, where amateur radio operators provide ground weather observation information to the NWS, based in Pueblo, Colo. As if leading up to something greater, the technical sergeant was about to attend a typical amateur radio meeting that would lead to a chance encounter with the president of Colorado's Teller County Search and Rescue, putting him on a trajectory to turn his hobby into an asset for the Pikes Peak Region.

"I never thought about search and rescue, and my first thought was ‘how can I be beneficial?’" he said. "It didn't make any sense to me until I attend the meeting and I realized the entire structure of search and rescue throughout Colorado is 100-percent volunteers with people from all walks of life. I was surprised by the real impact I could truly have."

Hodge's wish to be beneficial to his community would soon be tested. For the next five years, he would support numerous search and rescue operations throughout both Teller and El Paso Counties, providing the crucial communication link between rescue teams on the ground and emergency operations centers. In 2012, his radio skill sets would be tested to the limit as smoke began to billow from the crevasses of Colorado Spring's nearby Waldo Canyon.

"During the Waldo Canyon fire, I was one of three operators who could initially respond to the Teller County area," he said. "I spent four days living in the Red Cross shelter at Summit Elementary School in Divide, even taking over the principal's office to set up our communications equipment. As we stood up our radios, the sheriff ended up activating Teller County Search and Rescue to watch for other fires being started."

Hodge's involvement later as Teller County's chief of search and rescue communications helped to ensure the complete evacuation of Woodland Park as search and rescue teams were ordered out of the area by the sheriff. After rallying, Hodge helped to lead teams back into the town to mark each home to indicate citizens had either evacuated, or were staying to ride out the fires.

Already a now-experienced radio operator during natural disasters, Hodge was called out, once again, to respond to 2013's Black Forest fire. When word came via e-mail from the Pikes Peak Amateur Radio Emergency Services that radio operators were needed to support the Red Cross, and needed fast, Hodge turned to his squadron operations superintendent , Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Buell.

"The flexibility of our squadron is certainly helpful for sergeant Hodge in that we understand that, if the mission is not impeded, he can go out and do what he needs to do," Buell said. "He has talents that people need to help with saving lives, so it's vital to allow him, as a resource, to get out there and help others."

Immediately, Hodge raced home to collect his "go kit" with a vest, radios and other gear. Soon after, he made his way 25 miles north to Monument, Colo., where together with another radio operator, he set up radio operations at the Palmer Ridge High School, which had just converted to a Red Cross shelter. There, he would be on hand for the first evacuees from Black Forest -- many of whom, unknowingly, were about to lose their homes. As people poured into the shelter, Hodge radioed into the Red Cross Regional Chapter Headquarters for immediate support.

"As these evacuees came in, we had only one nurse on hand to assist and the media was showing, in real time, homes burning," he said. "We immediately radioed for additional medical staff and even grief counselors. Other local responders answered our call for volunteers as well. This is what's great about amateur radio in that you can reach out and request resources and people can quickly respond."

Being an NCO Benefits

Hodge believes it's important to look out after the health, morale and welfare of other Airmen. Perhaps it's no surprise this same mentality transitions over to wanting to help members of his community. The 33-year-old credits both his spirit of volunteerism and giving back partially to his Air Force upbringing.

"When you go through Airman Leadership School or the AF Academy, we're trained as NCOs to see where something is needed and figure out how to fill that need,” he said “That's helped me because I can see those problems with radio operating during crises to help find solutions to problems."

Hodge said being a space operator has helped to focus him during times of emergency.

"In space operations, you're trained to handle emergencies,” he said. “When a weather satellite streaks across the sky and you only have 12-14 minutes to make a correction or download data, you can't get overly excited. You have to remain calm and stay focused, and most of all, not lose your cool. All of this has helped out (with operating radios) because I need to be that calming voice on the radio to reinforce calm and order with others on the other end of the radio."

After having been put to the test in major emergency respond situations not once, but twice, the amateur radio operator has tackled events many others may never see. But going forward, Hodge wants to continue helping his community, becoming the "old hand" of knowledge for future operators to lean on.

"Now that we've had two years of all these fires and I've worked with various agencies during different emergencies, I see myself continually being involved in any emergency that happens," he said. "I see myself being involved less in the field with search and rescue teams and going more towards the operations and management side. I've served as an operator, helping at the shelters, as well as serving two years as the Teller County Search and Rescue treasurer. I want to do this not so much because I see myself a leader, but I have the experience of all these responses. I want to help train new people and share my experiences with the next generation of radio operators."

by Capt Steven Stubbs, 186th Air Refueling WingKey Field ANGB, Miss. -- The KC-135 Stratotankers return to the 186th Air Refueling Wing commences June 10, 2013 with one aircraft arriving at Key Field where in-flight refueling was born.

"There is a real buzz on the base right now and that will spill over into the general public once they start seeing the tankers arriving," said Colonel Franklin Chalk, 186 ARW Commander. "I'm excited for the wing and the airmen stationed here."

Chalk stated that a total of eight tankers will be stationed at Key Field by the end of September and the conversion training for pilots and maintenance crews has already begun.

"We will be transitioning pilots back from the C-27 Spartan planes and the MC-12s and getting the maintenance crews up to speed on the tankers," Chalk said. "Since we lost the tankers the maintenance crews have been pretty stagnant because private firms did the maintenance on the C-27s."

When Al and Fred Key took off in their Curtis-Robbin monoplane nicknamed the "Ole Miss" on June 4, 1935, they could not have known the impact their 27-day flight would have on not only their city and state, but the entire world. The equipment and methods used by these pioneers of air refueling allowed them to remain airborne until July 1, 1935. The members of the 186th Air Refueling Wing are proud to say that Key Field Air National Guard Base is named after these two Meridian brothers whose 653 hour and 34 minute world record remains unbroken today in conventional flight.

186ARW/153ARS based at Meridian RAP (Key Field), MS [KMEI] have recently been heard here on the radio ranch flying the following KC-135R airframes using the Jake ## call sign: 57-1462 57-1486 59-1453 60-0341 63-7992.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron 23 is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

"We look forward to strengthening the interoperability between our partner countries in the 6th Fleet region, and building on the common goal of maritime security through exercises and exchanges," said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander, CSG 11.

Prior to arriving in the Mediterranean, Nimitz spent the majority of its time in the 5th Fleet with guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) along with guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Monterey (CG 61).

"Our strike group and air wing have performed admirably during our time in 5th Fleet in the face of uncertainty," said Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of Nimitz. "Everyone should be very proud of their ability to pull together as a team to get the job done."

While in U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, CVW 11 executed more than 1,200 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, tallying more than 6,500 flight hours.

"I'm very proud of the effort our Sailors and Marines have contributed during our time in the 5th Fleet AOR," said White. "We have and will continue to remain focused on accomplishing our missions, and I think that shows in the work we've done."

This will be the first time Nimitz will be operating in the 6th Fleet area of operation since 1998.

Tortuga was relieved by USS Ashland (LSD 48) during a hull swap in which the crew of Ashland delivered the ship to Sasebo, Japan and returned USS Tortuga to her homeport - the culminating achievement of a four-month deployment.

"This hull swap has been a year in the making", said Cmdr. Brett Hershman, commanding officer of Tortuga. "Throughout the work-ups and transit [to Japan] and back...the crew preformed magnificently - I couldn't have asked any more from them."

On June 27, the crew deployed from Little Creek aboard Ashland to deliver the newly upgraded ship to the Japan-based crew of Tortuga. Ashland recently went through the Dock Landing Ship (LSD) midlife modernization, upgrading legacy equipment and control stations with more updated, computer based systems. The swap between the crews took several weeks and included training, familiarization, and inventories in preparation for sea trials, crew certification, and Tortuga's ultimate sail away and return to Norfolk.

In addition to the crew swap, the commanding officers also changed platforms with Hershman taking command of the Tortuga, and Cmdr. John Barnett taking command of the Ashland.

The Navy utilizes the hull swap program to maintain material-ready ships in forward deployed assignments, while allowing crews and their families to remain at the same homeport.

"The [hull swap] process is regularly used by the Navy to transition ships from a forward deployed area back state side," said Hershman. "Ships operating out of Sasebo have a very high operational tempo; periodically bringing them back gives us a chance to perform more extensive maintenance and routine modifications to ensure their continued value to the fleet."

Returning home to the Hampton Roads area after departing for Japan earlier this year, the crew's deployment covered more than 21,500 nautical miles and included two transits of the Panama Canal.

Upon Tortuga's return, the crew will focus on maintenance and repairs. Tortuga will remain operational in the Atlantic fleet throughout 2014, supporting local operations, training exercises and remaining on call for any emergency requirements.

LSD's are designed to transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles in support of amphibious assault operations.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron 23 is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

"We look forward to strengthening the interoperability between our partner countries in the 6th Fleet region, and building on the common goal of maritime security through exercises and exchanges," said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander, CSG 11.

Prior to arriving in the Mediterranean, Nimitz spent the majority of its time in the 5th Fleet with guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) along with guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Monterey (CG 61).

"Our strike group and air wing have performed admirably during our time in 5th Fleet in the face of uncertainty," said Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of Nimitz. "Everyone should be very proud of their ability to pull together as a team to get the job done."

While in U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, CVW 11 executed more than 1,200 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, tallying more than 6,500 flight hours.

"I'm very proud of the effort our Sailors and Marines have contributed during our time in the 5th Fleet AOR," said White. "We have and will continue to remain focused on accomplishing our missions, and I think that shows in the work we've done."

This will be the first time Nimitz will be operating in the 6th Fleet area of operation since 1998.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

An LC-130 assigned to the 109th Airlift Wing leaves Stratton Air National Guard Base for Antarctica on Oct. 18, 2013. (Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Willie Gizara/Released)

By Tech Sgt. Catharine Schmidt, 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard

SCOTIA, N.Y. - The 109th Airlift Wing kicked off its 26th season in support of Operation Deep Freeze on Oct. 18 as Airmen and LC-130 Hercules aircraft began their journey to the South Pole.

Despite the obstacles each season brings with the extreme weather conditions in Antarctica, crews are always prepared to complete the missions they have set out to do in support of the National Science Foundation.

A total of six ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft will be deployed this year from October to February, the typical on-continent Antarctic flying season.

These aircraft will support the National Science Foundation's research, moving supplies and people to field camps across the continent and to the South Pole station.
About 120 Air National Guard members will be deployed at any one time to Operation Deep Freeze, with a total of about 700 personnel rotations occurring over the entire season.

"We fully expect to meet all the mission requirements NSF sets forth for us," said Maj. Steven Slosek, a navigator who will be part of this year's ODF season, his fifth season on the ice. "It's an extremely remote and austere environment, but the best part about being a navigator in Antarctica is the sense of adventure."

Col. Shawn Clouthier, 109th AW commander, said he is confident the Wing will once again provide outstanding support, no matter what the obstacles.

"Due to fiscal constraints we have been tasked with fewer missions for this Antarctic season,” he said. "However, the mission set is still one of the most demanding in the Air National Guard and the Air Force. Through all of the budget restrictions one constant remains, the dedicated and professional men and women of the 109th will serve the National Science Foundation in the outstanding manner to which they have become accustomed."

After the resolution of the government shutdown Thursday, the 109th quickly geared back up to send down just as many aircraft as in previous seasons, and nearly the same number of personnel. As the season continues, additional guidance from the NSF will determine if the lowered mission tasking will continue.

The unit boasts the U.S. military's only ski-equipped aircraft, which has been supporting the NFS's South Pole research since 1988. Since 1999, the unit has been the sole provider of this type of airlift to the NSF and U.S. Antarctic research efforts.

In 1999 a crew from the 109th Airlift Wing made a daring rescue of Dr. Jerri Nielsen, a staff member at the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole who was suffering from breast cancer. An LC-130 from the wing landed in bitter cold, far earlier in the season than they normally fly, to retrieve the doctor.

In 2008, another 109th LC-130 rescued an Australian researcher who had broken his leg in an accident and flew him to Hobart, Australia, from Antarctica.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

WASHINGTON -- Pentagon officials announced a plan that will enable the military services to resume conducting community and public outreach activities in the new fiscal year, but at a significantly reduced capacity, Oct. 18, 2013. This cost-cutting measure will yield a savings of $104 million in fiscal year 2014.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel outlined the Pentagon's new strategic approach to community outreach in an internal memorandum to service chiefs and other military leaders. Many activities, including the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds air demonstration teams, will resume, but at a more limited frequency than in previous years.

"Even given the austere fiscal climate, Secretary Hagel believes the Defense Department must preserve vital links between service members and communities across the country," said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little.

Little said that the new guidelines are part of a careful balancing act and demonstrate the Department's determination to make the most efficient use of resources.

Community outreach brings Americans together in communities across the nation and helps inspire some to serve, builds support at home for those deployed in harm's way, and helps to ensure education, employment and wellness initiatives evolve to serve veterans, Hagel noted in the memo directing these changes. Community engagements have tangible value in that they "showcase our superior combat power, demonstrate readiness to defend the nation, and help to preserve the all-volunteer force," Hagel wrote.

"It is unfortunate that sequestration restrictions have kept us from connecting with nearly a half-billion people worldwide over the last six months, and required us to withdraw support from more than 2,800 events throughout the country," the secretary wrote.

A senior defense official noted that this plan reinstates at a 45% reduced capacity: the jet and parachute demonstration teams, band and ceremonial unit appearances, port visits, service weeks, and nonprofit and corporate leader outreach."

The connections between U.S. service members and the civilians they defend are important to active and reserve service members, their families, and veterans, the secretary said in his memo.

"Community and public outreach is a crucial Departmental activity that reinforces trust and confidence in the United States Military and in its most important asset- people," Hagel asserted. "It is our obligation to sustain that trust well into the future."

The author has gone to great extents to provide the most up to
date and informative guide to listening to North American Enroute Aviation
comms. As an avid monitor of ARTCC comms I can appreciate the portability of
this book, which I can now carry almost anywhere on my phone, tablet, laptop,
etc... The accuracy of the information at the time of publishing is spot on and
I have not found any errors. BRAVO!!! Great Job Mr. Van Horn!

An extremely useful publication for aviation monitoring, made
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WOW!!! Got to admit for such a small price this guide is
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daily monitor of military and civilian aviation, this is a very handy
publication to have on one's tablet, computer or other device for following
aircraft's communications. One can also print out the pertinent pages for the
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I think this long time hobby
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C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members walk toward their aircraft with equipment in-hand prior to a mission at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, Oct. 13, 2013. The Globemaster III is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployed locations. The C-17 crews assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron are deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Bahja J. Jones)

"The C-17 is an incredible platform," said Capt. Erica McCaslin, 816th EAS C-17 pilot and Port Angeles, Wash., native. "It allows us to go into just about any field, from an international airport to a dirt field in the middle of Afghanistan, to deliver cargo to the Army or Marines or any troops who need supplies."

With a maximum payload capacity of 170,900 pounds, the Globemaster III and its crews are able to transport passengers, and all types of cargo to include food, water, supplies and even vehicles. In this rotation, the 816th EAS has flown more than 375 sorties, transported 13.2 million pounds of cargo and nearly 2,400 passengers. Additionally, they have airdropped more than 71,000 pounds of cargo to forward bases throughout the AOR.

"The deliveries we bring in for the troops is pretty crucial, especially in some of the obscure fields we go into - supplies and ways to get them may be limited," McCaslin said. "The roads may be dangerous and airlift is the only way to get those critical supplies to them."

Typically aircrews consist of three pilots, two loadmasters and a flying crew chief.

"The crew compliment is critical," McCaslin said. "From the loadmasters in the back, to [crew members] upstairs ensuring the aircraft is ready for takeoff and safely transporting everybody from stop-to-stop. It really takes a team effort, and without any one of those crew members, the whole thing could fall apart."

As an aircraft commander, McCaslin has a major responsibility within the crew ensuring the mission is executed smoothly.

"[We] manage all the players involved and make decisions as far as safety of the crew and the aircraft, any sort of delays and changes to the mission cut," she said.

Besides the pilots and flying engineer who have the crucial role of keeping the aircraft serviceable and in the air, the loadmasters have a very important role within the aircrew as well.

"Our job as C-17 loadmasters is to ensure all the cargo we take in and out of the AOR is prepared correctly and maintained throughout the flight," said Staff Sgt. Frederick Jordan, an 816th EAS C-17 loadmaster and Panama City, Panama, native. "We make sure the cargo gets to where it needs to go safely and precisely."

They work in tandem with the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron aerial port technicians who prepare the cargo prior to loading it onto the aircraft.

"Once it comes to the aircraft we are the last line of defense to make sure all the necessary steps were taken in preparation," Jordan said.

Without the loadmasters, they'd have a hard time getting any cargo throughout the AOR and troops wouldn't be able to get the supplies they need to complete their mission, Jordan explained. Before and throughout the flight, loadmasters perform a balancing act to keep aircraft flying safely.

All-in-all, like a well-oiled machine, the Globemaster aircrews work to support ground troops throughout the AOR.

"I get quite a bit of pride from the work that we do and the Airmen we work with across the board," McCaslin said. "It's pretty amazing when you can see from start to finish the pieces that are involved - what it takes to get us airborne and in the end to see those supplies delivered to the troops who actually need it."

Friday, October 18, 2013

By Rich Lamance, Air Force News Service EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- She didn’t have a smudge on her. Not a leak found anywhere. She even had that “new jet smell.” Skies were blue, everything was perfect. Those were the conditions on that July day in 2011 when Lt. Col. Eric Smith took off from the Lockheed facilities at Fort Worth, Texas, in the first operational F-35 to fly to its permanent home at Eglin Air Force Base, in the Florida panhandle. And the rest, according to Smith, who would go on to pick up three of the first six F-35s from the factory, is history.

“It was just a great day – I was just a little bit nervous because I knew that if I messed it up it would be on the front page of every newspaper in the country,” said Smith. As he approached the runway at Eglin, he found bleachers full of people and a red carpet rolled out to signify the beginning of an era for not only the plane, but for the newly reorganized 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base and the future of Air Force air superiority for the 21st Century.

The pick of the 33rd Fighter Wing “Nomads” to transition the Air Force’s newest and most lethal fighter into this century and beyond was no accident. With a history that dates back to World War II when the wing was a pursuit group, the 33rd showcased the F-4 Phantom during Vietnam and the F-15 Eagle through crises such as Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, and post 9/11, when the Nomads provided armed over-watch throughout North America for Operation Noble Eagle, securing two presidents of the United States and multiple space shuttle launches.

“On Oct. 1, 2009, we stood up as an F-35 unit,” said Lt. Col. Matt Renbarger, 58th Fighter Squadron commander. “We were handed keys to an empty building, with five pilots, a technical sergeant, two lieutenant colonels and three majors.”

Renbarger and Smith both admitted that those early days, following the arrival of the first F-35, was a whirlwind of planning, creating policy and guidelines and putting together a training program with a syllabus, academics, and a completely new maintenance program.

Smith said that the early days with the first few aircraft were a challenge, not only for the pilots, but for the newly trained crew chiefs as well. “There was a lot of tech data that the technicians needed before they could work on the airplane, so the first six planes we delivered sat for about eight months before we were issued flight clearance. We didn’t receive our first flight clearance until March of 2012. “

Renbarger said that, like anything brand new and right out of the box, there were a lot of things that had to be learned that weren’t known before. He said that as a training unit, it was more Air Combat Command versus Air Education and Training Command. “It’s not a different mindset, but it’s more of a different mission. Here we create new pilots and maintainers, so we don’t have the downrange focus. Training pilots is our product.

“When test pilots at Edwards find something they tell us, and when we find something we tell them. When software is released they’ll come down here and tell us things they’ve learned. We’ll take new capabilities and bring them into our training syllabus. The folks at Edwards bring us the latest so we can teach the people who teach the people. We teach the teachers and the teachers teach the students.”

Renbarger said there is a lot to like about the F-35, from the standpoint of the pilot, the maintainer, the trainer, down to the bottom line of mission success. “I’ve never seen a pilot come back from his first sortie without a huge smile on his face. It’s something new, and programs like this only come around every 30 years or so, and to be on the ground floor – it’s the perfect time.

“Most pilots come from the F-16, F-15 and A-10 legacy aircraft. Sensors on the front of the F-35 allow us to have that 360-degree awareness. That was the big leap forward. Computer technology that is 30 years or more advanced than the legacy aircraft is what makes the F-35 so advanced.”

Lt. Col. Anthony Pelkington is the 33rd FW chief of safety and was one of the first of the legacy pilots selected for the F-35 program. He said that for pilots transitioning from those legacy systems, the F-35 is a huge deal.

“For 10 years in the F-16, I dealt with essentially monochrome cathode ray displays – approximately 6 inch square – and I’ve got two of them. Now I move up to a contiguous 8 x 20- inch color display that is a huge step forward for the pilot’s situational awareness. Plus, there’s a lot more capability in the display itself.

“In the F-16, I had a radar display with a selectable, like turning pages in a book, something that would show my ordnances like I had a stick figure map with monochrome lines on a black background. It would try to give us a semblance of where we were to maybe a weapons system. But I had to choose. Every one of those displays was limited to the confines of that small 6-inch to 8-inch screen.

“In the F-35, we now have this massive amount of screen real estate. I can now see multiple sensors at once, which is great because I don’t have to pick and choose. I don’t have to take away my situational awareness with what the radar is telling me in terms of traffic to bring up situational awareness and what the target pod looks like. It’s all there available for me.”

Pelkington added that one of the best aspects of the fifth generation fighter is its ability to communicate with all aspects of the aircraft, as well as customize information to fit each pilot’s needs. “The displays talk to each other, the sensors talk to each other, and a lot of information is displayed in sensible formats with other sensors in one combined picture. Now I can bring up large formats on displays so I can see things easier – I can even bring up many formats if I want with a different orientation on how the displays will look. Whatever I want to do to aid my situational awareness I can do and the reality, as a pilot, is that I can customize that setup quite easily to a format that best suits how a pilot understands.”

The wing’s safety chief said that one of the biggest advantages to the F-35 over legacy aircraft is the growth in options. “Choosing between a pilot’s eye and ‘god’s eye are all in the system now and weren’t in the F-16. I had one particular display option for radar format for the F-16 – I couldn’t choose anything else. I had to learn to read it in that manner. Which didn’t necessarily match how somebody looking out on a battlefield could see the picture. So you always had to do that conversion in your mind. With the F-35 you can choose the display format that best suits your ability, and there are multiple options to allow you to see things from a ‘god’s eye’ perspective. It allows me to see from a much greater perspective than the F-16 ever allowed.”

The equipment

Tech. Sgt. Andre Baskin is the wing’s aircrew flight equipment NCOIC, responsible for equipping pilots with the specialized gear required to fly the world’s most state-of-the-art aircraft. He and his small staff of specialists agree that the differences between the F-35 helmet and the rest are many.

“One of the biggest differences the F-35 helmet has over the others is that the new helmet encompasses multiple gadgets such as night vision goggles, and for that function you would have to modify the pilot’s flying helmet and add the components on there,” said Baskin. “With the F-35, it’s all encompassed in the helmet. The cameras on the jet work in sync with the helmet and whatever the jet picks up visually will be displayed on the visor in the helmet.”

From a pilot’s point of view, Renbarger agrees that the nicest part of the new helmet is that everything is self-contained. “The best thing about the F-35 helmet is that it has a big visor with a big display, and we can display a night vision camera visual on the visor and then a distributor aperture system that is basically a set of cameras that are all over the airplane and work in the infrared spectrum. That can be displayed on our visor as well.

“When we get our helmet fit, there is actually a complicated scan process that takes an image of our heads and provides a laser cut-out foam insert for the helmet that is molded to our heads. Then there’s ear cups that close the helmet around our head and a custom nape strap in the back that basically locks the helmet down on our heads. There’s very little, if any, motion in the helmet when we move our head around. Very well balanced, a very well fit and it feels great wearing the helmet. It’s very specific to each individual pilot.”

Pelkington also talked about the difference between the traditional G-suit, which offers pilots about a G and a half of protection, to the one used by F-35 pilots. “Some pilots acclimate to the Gs by genetic makeup, some by experience and can develop a tolerance for 5-ish Gs. With the new suit you can now go up to 7 or 8 Gs without ever having to strain. When you’re focused on pulling Gs -- on making sure your eyesight doesn’t gray out – your mind isn’t thinking about the adversary or the situation or the awareness of the battlespace. When you can pull 7 or 8 Gs without having to think about it, combined with the fusion of all the systems and the display on the glass set up the way you want to see it…it’s an amazing reduction in pilot workload.”

The maintainers

Senior Master Sgt. Paul Fulkerson is the production superintendent with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit who is on the ground floor of maintenance for the F-35. He said that for F-35 maintainers, the biggest element that sets them apart is the electronic maintenance program called ALIS. Standing for Autonomic Logistics Information System, ALIS, according to Fulkerson, has all of the forms needed to perform maintenance on the new aircraft.

“With ALIS, there are no paper forms and the system allows maintainers to pretty much manage the fleet with the information on the computer,” said Fulkerson. “With the F-16s, we had to use paper tech data to perform maintenance, where you followed it step-by-step to do the task. With ALIS, our maintainers us ‘tough books,’ where they read the tech data on the screen.”

While a very young aircraft, Pelkington said the F-35, maintenance-wise, is very stable and makes a lot of information available to both the pilot and maintainer that isn’t available on the legacy aircraft.

“Oftentimes, in a legacy aircraft, you don’t know that something is wrong until you have a major systems failure that generates a warning in the aircraft. The aircraft can no longer perform to spec. A lot of warnings in the F-35 tend to be advisory, that says ‘this is going to have to be worked on by maintenance when you land.’ In the F-35, there’s no mission degradation. When a pilot gets back, there’s a load of data on every aspect of how the aircraft performs. From the maintenance standpoint, it gives them an awesome opportunity to catch issues before they become problems.”

Staff Sgt. Michael Sanders is an F-35 crew chief who has been with the program for the past three years and has more than a decade of experience on the F-16 and F-15 as a backshop engine maintainer. He explained that while maintainers in the legacy aircraft normally specialized in one area, such as engines or avionics, in the F-35, maintainers do it all.

“My job is completely different now from in the past. We would handle all teardown and build-up required for the engine, whereas now, we perform maintenance on the F-35 as a whole. We’re trained on all maintenance tasks, including the engine. I traveled TDY to Connecticut where I performed teardown and buildup for the new aircraft.”

Training

The F-35 Academic Training Center, or ATC, is a sprawling complex responsible for every facet of F-35 training at Eglin. From pilots to maintainers to support Airmen, the ATC has developed, or is in the process of developing, the training syllabuses, procedures, guidelines, certifications and “textbooks” that will become the training standard for decades to come, according to Renbarger.

He said that for pilots, training in the F-35 simulator is by far, the best there is. “I’ve flown in F-16 simulators and F-22 simulators and the F-35 simulator is truly state-of-the-art. They’ve got the best visuals, full dome coverage, 360-degree views, target set build-up, they have runways and very much replicates flying the airplane. I haven’t heard one pilot say it wasn’t the best simulator they’ve ever been in short of flying the airplane.”

Renbarger added that because the F-35 is a single-seat plane, the first time a pilot flies the F-35, he’s by himself, making the simulator even more critical. “The operational flight software that runs the airplane – that same software is in the simulator,” said Renbarger. “In other aircraft I have flown, there have been differences between the simulator and the airplane. This is as close as I’ve ever seen between the simulator and airplane. Exact same cockpit. The cockpit sits on a rail and you sit in the cockpit and it drives forward and raises up inside the dome and the screens you see are the exact same screens you see on the jet.”

On the maintenance side, students are confronted with a similar real-world view, with a weapons load trainer mock-up of the F-35 that contains everything but the tail and the cockpit. Tech. Sgt. Adam Zakrzewski is an ATC instructor with Detachment 19 of the 372nd Training Squadron. He said that during training on the F-35, students will practice opening and closing doors, checking the hydraulics levels, oil levels, etc., but there’s a big difference between maintenance on legacy aircraft versus the F-35.

“There are a lot more steps in gaining access to the legacy aircraft than there are to accessing the F-35,” said Zakrzewski. “I’m an old A-10 guy, where you have to unfasten 200 screws to get a door panel open. On the F-35, there’s one interface connect and click two buttons.”

Tech. Sgt. Justin Weddle is an ATC instructor and flight chief with the field training detachment of the 372nd Training Squadron, who says that in normal maintenance training, instructors would give students a PowerPoint presentation, cover some TOs and give students hands-on training on the aircraft.

“The maintenance group would have to give up an aircraft or whatever students were training on such as a weapons system, AGE, anything like that. At the ATC, and in the F-35 training plan, we begin with an EML, or electronic mediated lecture, kind of like the traditional PowerPoint, but it’s done through an electronic system.” Weddle said the student will then transition, in the same classroom and setting, to more self-paced training on the computer. “It’s just a reinforcement of what the instructor has said during his portion of the training.

“Students will then go through an ASMT, which is an aircraft systems maintenance trainer. It’s essentially an avatar, and from that you go and do whatever task you’re learning about. Whether you are installing a hydraulic pump or some other portion of the aircraft. On one side of the screen, students will have their avatar and on the other they’ll have their joint tech data laptop and they can follow all of the steps exactly. That way the training is not all front-loaded, it can be weaved in and out of the training course.”

In addition to the Air Force’s F-35A, the Marine Corps and the Navy have their own versions of the F-35. The F-35B will give the Marine Corps a short take-off and vertical landing capability, while the Navy’s F-35C will give them a carrier-based capability. Smith believes that for the future of the F-35, it may not change the way we fly, but it will make the U.S. and its allies the dominant air power for the next 30 to 50 years.

“That’s the beauty of the F-35. There are three variants out there, but all three are going to use the same system software. So as they develop something new for our country, our allies who fly the F-35 will get that same capability. That will make integration much smoother.”

Since Smith’s journey home with the first F-35 in 2011, Air Force, Marine, Navy and U.K. pilots have amassed more than 3,100 flying hours in the three versions, flying more than 2,300 sorties.

To those who have spent the past four or five years learning the intricacies of a new aircraft -- how to fly it, how to fix it and how to create a plan to teach it, the F-35 has become much more than an airplane showcasing state-of-the-art technology. For the men and women of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin, responsible for getting the F-35 ready for its grand entrance as the dominant airpower for the 21st Century and beyond, it has spawned a completely new culture and way of life.

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. Been pretty quiet for the last week or so. Maybe now after the government shutdown we will see traffic pickup. All dates/times are UTC.